Book Reviews, Short Stories, Cartoons, Poetry and Non sense.

The Graduation

“Congratulations, big day eh?” The compliment hits you in the gut. You are still not ready to be called a doctor. You want the title but there will be responsibilities. The real world will wait for you because after today, you will have a degree that will enable you to treat people. Complete strangers will come straight to you with their problems and you will be medically qualified to touch them, listen to them and treat them.

The compliments and handshakes leave you dizzy. There is the stage getting set up and you are given your graduation gown. Your friends are clicking pictures and laughing so you laugh. It is a good feeling but you know it is momentary. Right after the graduation ceremony is over, your college will disown you. You will be on your own, not a student anymore. You will be sent to the job market in an era of recession. There will be rejections and failures much bigger than what you have faced till now.

Your family will applaud as soon as you climb up the stage and walk up to that soulless, balding, celebrity handing out the degrees and diplomas. He will shake your hand and smile at you but you will know he doesn’t really care. He is the chief guest for the function. The college management has probably paid him to attend the function. So, it is all nothing but a glorified paid handshake before you are sent packing.

The professors will be sitting in the front row–neatly dressed and you will greet everyone like it is a final day of truce after five years of war. Even the most strict professors will smile at you because the facade will be over.